Feast of love in Czech Republic

In Slavic cultures, spring has always been the most important time of the year - it’s the time of rebirth, associated with life, fertility, and love. Ancient Slavs celebrated the end of winter and the coming of spring with a number of festivals and rituals. Czech folk traditions in spring mostly occur in the Easter period.

Among Czechs, one such tradition has survived to this day - popularly known as Czech Valentine’s Day. This two-part tradition begins on the evening of April 30. Czechs gather around large bonfires on hilltops to celebrate the end of winter. Once it gets dark, an effigy of a witch, made of sticks, straw, and old clothing, is paraded through the community, put on top of the bonfire, and burned. The smoke coming from the giant fire is celebrated as the witch flying away. According to folk tales, she is responsible for keeping the cold weather around, and this ritual marks the end of winter and helps the warm weather return more quickly.